Formation of New Provinces in Pakistan: Challenges and Prospects

Abstract

Pakistan is a federation that consists of four provinces, and its population is 241.49 million according to the 2023 census. However, there are still four provinces in Pakistan despite the population increasing rapidly since 1947. This increase has led to overcrowding in existing provinces and a need for additional provinces. The research explores the challenges and prospects of forming new provinces in Pakistan. The research method adopted in this study is qualitative and descriptive. The1973 Constitution of Pakistan has made creating new provinces difficult. Besides, many challenges are involved in making new provinces, including political parties' politics, economic implications, ethnic and linguistic identities, centralization, and major regional groups. New provinces will be more likely to be made if these hindrances are overcome. It would be helpful to appoint a constitutional commission every ten years or twenty years to resolve the issue of the formation of new provinces in Pakistan.